Netgear WNR834B RangeMax Next Router user reviews

Pros looks nice, easy to install

Cons range wasn't that great, maybe 50% better than g, router was constantly crashing, at least once a week, always required restart, now after 6 months it has quit working completely, won't even power on.

Summary

Pros looks nice, it does work . . . . if you can make it work.

Cons Firmware is crap, interface is slow, firewall is not stealth (firmware V1.0.3.5), Netgear support.

Summary If I had bought this product I'd return it. I have the device because my rangemax 240's Internet port failed and I made a hardware warranty claim. Netgear did not have any 240s to send me so I said go ahead and send me the WNR834B. So, I get the device and plug it in. I browse to the interface and the first thing that greets me is the screen that offers to check for a firmware upgrade, I say sure. It comes back telling me that it's 3 to 4 versions behind so I go ahead and update. Big mistake, basically fries the device (as far as I could tell at that time). So, I call Netgear support back, they make me suffer for 30 minutes or so before escalating to L2. L2 calls me back the next day and they decide they sent a bad device so they are going to overnight another to me. They're so nice . . . I'm sure this will be different. I can't take anymore of they're help, it's killing me. That evening I go to Netgear's website to check out their white papers on the device and I find the exact problem I’m having. I walk through the instructions and fix the device. It seems to be working fine but the performance is not what I had hoped for, my 240 covered my house better than this thing. So, I get the new new one and I'm a glutton for punishment so the first thing I do with it is update the firmware, this time however I do it locally and it still fries it. . . . Man that's quality. I don't know who's writing the code for the firmware but they should take a class or something. I fix this one too. So after tweaking the settings and changing the placement in my home/office I get the coverage I need. So, I'm using it but I was a loyal Netgear customer, now I’m a very displeased Netgear customer. Netgear support was possibly the most painful experience I've had in dealing with tech issues and I'm a Network Administrator. . . so that's saying something. On another note the firewall on this thing is not in stealth mode, I did a port scan and several ports came back as closed. I'm like what the . . . so I have to go through and reconfigure my Network so any scans go off in to nothing so I don't have half the hackers on the internet making my life more fun. . . I mean what the heck are they doing. So now I can call Netgear back to discuss there super duper firmware or just put myself out of my misery.

At least they replaced the devices, I wasn't sure that was going to happen the first call I made to Netgear on my 240 the gal tried to tell me the port failure was a "software" failure and would not be covered. So it might have been over if I didn't know anything, but you know I probably would have been happier because I just would of gone out and bought a Belkin.

Pros good looking ,running cool and upgreade latest firmware no problem

Cons software set up liitle funky but no problem

Summary Bought fromm Circuit city $100 ,good range second floor set ,good signal from Basement ,work with all comp Adapter g/b

Pros Good range and speed through walls

Cons Not wall-mountable,flimsy connection to base.

Summary Good product overall,I don;t know why so many people claim to have problems with this item.
My guess would be not having being as tech-savvy as they think they are,or plain old user malfunction.